The topic for discussion this week and last was suggested by a friend—Kim Campbell, who lives in British Columbia, messaged me: “Have you ever done an article on seniors getting a dog? Where to get one, based on how many rescues won’t adopt to them?” Some rescue organizations and animal shelters have upper age limits on older adopters, although the ‘too old’ may vary from organization to organization. We haven’t discussed that topic here yet, so I asked animal professionals and animal lovers online about their experiences and thoughts on the subject.
These were my questions:
“Do you work in rescue? Does ‘your’ rescue have age limits? Do you know someone who’s been turned down for an adoption due to their age, specifically for being ‘too old’ to adopt? Has it happened to you? In your opinion, is it a good policy? Why or why not? Also, do you work with a rescue that does adopt to older individuals, maybe even through a special program that helps pay the fees? Tell us about it!”
Glenda Lee (Maine) That rescues employ ageism to determine appropriate placement infuriates me. We are active people. My sister who is almost 74 posted pics just yesterday from the 56-mile trip her bicycle group had taken. She has MS but doesn’t let it stop her. If anything, she saw it as a challenge and has met it head on. Stubborn Scots women do that. I dare anyone to try and tell me I’m too old for anything! Thanks for providing a platform for this old fart to vent!
Sarah Lindgren-Akana (California) Age discrimination is not okay. What I have a problem with is when folks adopt out reactive or otherwise high-needs dogs to folks looking for a quiet pet, and that’s regardless of age.
Clea Simon (Massachusetts) Unless you’re looking to adopt a high-energy breed, why? Sounds discriminatory. If you want to adopt from this particular shelter, perhaps explain that you have plans in place in case you predecease your pet? (We made up wills recently and included plans for any pets we may then have, because . . . cats!)
Kim Campbell (British Columbia) Frankly, I see more young people having to get rid of dogs because of kids, moving, or whatever than I see seniors getting rid of dogs or dying and their pets having no place to go.
Darlene Hunsbarger (Florida) As long as the animal has a future plan after the owner passes, the mutual benefits are immeasurable.
Lori Leah Monet DVM (Colorado) If anyone needs a dog, it is an elder person. They care for them like babies.
Cecelia Sumner (Florida) I’m 65 and a professional dog trainer. I was denied because I didn’t have arrangements if something happened to me . . . for a dog that wasn’t mine yet. I’ll see if I can find the application; it’s been a few months, I want to get the wording accurate. They never checked my references and were sooo condescending. This is a quote from their website: “Folks in their 60s to 80s are all different, as are their lifestyles, health, and activity levels. Generally speaking, however, we prefer not to place very [young] puppies or young dogs with seniors.” The dog I was interested in was a year-ish. They asked for your driver’s license number, too. I wouldn’t share that. I’m sure that was a strike against me.
Photo by Dave Koch
Ann Bemrose (British Columbia) I’m a trainer in Vancouver, BC, Canada and have worked with several elderly clients who had acquired, or were planning to acquire, a puppy. All of them knew dogs well, knew all about the breeds they got, and were extremely aware of the dogs’ needs and their own personal limitations. Growing old ain’t easy; it’s unreasonable to imagine that older adults have somehow forgotten that they’re aging and need to take that into account. I should say that I’m 63 years old myself, and that I have MS, which poses some limits on my exercise and balance. I think that my own limitations are beneficial for my older clients because I can honestly relate to them.
My older clients are far more diligent about training their dogs. They know that they have to practice new behaviors and they all follow my examples very well. One couple are in their 70s and hired me before they brought their eight-week-old golden retriever home. We emphasized safety in terms of stairs, steps, and building a solid recall. They were more than able to walk their dog, and did, in all weathers, in addition to playing lots of fetch games and working with a flirt pole to ensure that the dog got plenty of exercise. They also had family members who were very close to them and who would take the dog if anything happened to them.
A dog significantly improves humans’ quality of life and health and helps reduce isolation.
Many people are unrealistic about their needs and abilities. I’m sure we’ve all seen that with our training clients more often than we’d hope. Even so, many people do know what they’re capable of managing and shouldn’t be discounted simply because of their age.
Kate Connell Cpdt-ka (California) That’s so interesting because most of my clients 60 and older who have gotten a puppy have come to wish they’d adopted an adult. Some hadn’t had dogs before, but most had raised many puppies over the course of their lives and had simply forgotten how exhausting it can be to raise a puppy. I’ll also add that I’m not saying that there should be a restriction, but that things need to be decided on a case-by-case basis and that every adopter (regardless of age) should be reminded of what goes into raising a puppy before adopting one. I had a client whose dog tragically passed at a little over a year old from a seizure and, when she got a puppy shortly thereafter, she’d already forgotten all the shenanigans the first pup had gotten into before she started training with me. She’s not the only return client to forget their previous dog’s puppy behaviors, either—and these people were not ‘elderly’ by any stretch of the imagination.
Don Hanson (Maine) It’s a perfectly acceptable consideration and one I wish more rescues and shelters would implement. Granted, it does depend on the individual person and dog. Over the past several years, I have dealt with far too many clients who were encouraged and allowed to adopt a dog that was too big and powerful and/or had serious and dangerous behavior issues. In some cases, the rescue/shelter made it very difficult to return the dog. My general rules are: You need to be safely able to control a dog on leash and be able to carry an injured dog up and down a flight of stairs. If you hike with the dog, you need to be able to carry it back to the trailhead. As we age, our physical abilities start to decline. If a 90-year-old is physically and mentally fit and can handle a large dog, I have no problems with that other than being concerned that the dog will probably outlive them. I am extremely concerned about shelters/rescues that will adopt a large dog with known aggression issues to a couple (late 80s/early 90s, one frail, one with severe dementia) or adopt dogs with known reactivity issues to anyone who does not have the physical strength to handle them. It happens far too often.
Theo Stewart (United Kingdom) I’m 77 and in England. My own dogs are aging with me. One at a time, they are going. I have three left and my GSD Milly is nearly 14 and going downhill now. I can’t imagine life without a dog, but while I am fit and strong, I plan to foster for a rescue where I can make good use of my experience and skills as a behaviorist. Indefinite fostering, perhaps—but it would mean the dog wouldn’t be left homeless when I could no longer cope.
Lis Carey (Massachusetts) I’ve not been suitable for a high-energy breed since my 20s; that’s really not what I want in a dog. I’ve done home visits for people older than me, and approved them for dogs I would have rejected myself for. They had the ability, the resources, and a plan in place. That’s what matters. And all our contracts say the dog comes back to us if it can’t stay with the same family.
The rescue I volunteer with is in southern New Hampshire. We do adopt to senior citizens. As with any adoption, it has to be a good match—activity level of the dog, activity level of the people, and what they want to do with their dogs. We do want a family member who will commit to being responsible for retuning the dog to us if it can’t stay with the adopter. Often, when that family member does contact us, they’re asking if they can now keep the dog.
One of the best adoptions we ever had was an elderly couple who only wanted senior dogs. When we met them, they had a 13-year-old Labrador with hip dysplasia who was unhappy being an only dog. They didn’t think another Lab would be good for her, because that would encourage too much activity for her hips. We had a pair of senior Shih Tzus who really were a genuine bonded pair, with good leash and social skills, and utterly bombproof. They were a hit with the couple, the Lab, and the couple’s adult daughter, who was very clear that there was room in her home and family for all three dogs if her parents ever couldn’t keep them. The older couple has passed and all three dogs, too, but the daughter still stays in touch and makes donations.
Which I guess is a bit off-topic. But an older person plus older pet, with a backup person who will either return the dog if necessary, or let us know and arrange to keep the dog, has worked out very well.
There was one case where I looked at the application and my immediate reaction was NO. Older retired woman, applying to adopt an adult but still young and active German shepherd. Then I did her home visit. She knew exactly what she was doing. Fit, active, had always had GSDs, wanted a dog who could keep her active, and had a network of people in place to ensure that there was help if she needed it, and a family member willing to commit to returning the dog if necessary. The details always matter.
Oh, and our question about age is, “Are you at least 18 years old?” but the answers to other questions often reveal more . . . or people are just very upfront because they have thought about it.
Ray Little (Pennsylvania) Offer to help with planning. Rescues can counsel to ensure that all adopters are thinking about contingencies. Unless the potential adopter can’t demonstrate an ability to handle and care for the dog, why deny a chance at a home? With that as a criterion, it is usually possible to find a good match. Work with the person to figure out what is possible and offer options. My 80-year-old friend adopted a five-year-old playful and very happy chihuahua who loves her new home. And, of course, [my friend] has made arrangements for the dog to go to a good home if something happens to prevent her from caring for the dog. Rescues always have the option to offer to take the dog back into their care should the need arise. That should not be seen as a bad thing by the rescue, but unfortunately, it is sometimes considered a nuisance, hardship, or breach of contract by many rescues. That’s a shame; it precludes some very good situations for homeless dogs.
Summer Storm Kingery DVM (North Carolina) I do know a few rescues here (that are top-notch rescues) that require evidence of contingency plans for pets. They help connect potential adopters with lawyers who are working at lower rates for simple wills that specifically include terms for the pets. (My understanding is the lawyers often convert these into estate plans for those with significant assets, which offsets the costs for those who are living within greater constraints.) These rescues also host public seminars on things like estate planning with pets, pet insurance, behavioral enrichment, etc.
Adopting a Dog at Almost Any Age
▪ Look online for information about dog adoption programs in your area.
▪ Read the adoption contract, which often appears on an organization’s website.
▪ Visit the shelters that offer adoption programs for which you would be eligible.
▪ Organize a support team to be your back-up for the life of the dog you adopt.
▪ Involve your support team in shelter visits and your search for your new dog.
▪ Acclimate your new dog to your support team and their households, slowly and surely, so that the dog feels safe with them, eventually even comfortable. Your support team can give you the freedom of a safe and happy place for your dog to stay for a few hours, overnight, or even longer when your dog can’t go with you.
Since 1992, the Pets for the Elderly (PFE) grant program has paid a portion of the adoption fee for nearly 100,000 seniors 60 and over adopting a dog or cat at PFE’s participating shelters across the U.S. Understanding that pet maintenance and long-term care is a barrier to pet ownership for many seniors, PFE has announced an expansion of its grant program to now include animal-care assistance at any of its participating shelters who apply for the grant.
Pets for the Elderly is looking to add new animal shelters to its program. Shelters wishing to participate can visit the website at https://www.petsfortheelderly.org.
